Range vent grating



Oct. 10, 1939. BARNSTEINER 2,175,819

RANGE VENT GRATING Filed Nov. 50, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet .1

a%QESSESZ ATTORNEY Oct. 10, 1939.

A. BARNSTEINER RANGE VENT GRATING Filed Nov. 30, 19-37 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES:

INVENTOR 702/15 Barm/e/he/T ATTORNEY so associated with the back-splasher l2.

Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES RANGE VENT GRATING Alfons Barnsteiner, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric 8; Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa.,

Pennsylvania a corporation of Application November so, 1937, Serial No. 177,314

4 Claims.

My invention relates to ranges and more par ticularly to an oven vent grating therefor.

An object of my invention is to provide means for permitting the free flow of air and vapors from the oven of a range.

With those ranges now knownto the art having an oven vent located within the back-splasher of such range, a decorative escutcheon plate, or the like, embodying a vent grating has been placed over and on the sides of such vents to prevent foreign matters from dropping within the vent tubes. The vent grating-work has been of such material and form that as the air and vapors are expelled from the oven, such grating-work caused condensation to form thereon.

This condensation, after continued operations of the oven, runs down over the back-splasher creating a dirty, greasy, unattractive appearance of the range back-splasher;

It is, therefore, a further object of my invention to provide a vent grating-work which will be of such a design that it will prevent and prohibit condensation of the vapors being expelled from the oven. p

A further object of my invention is'to provide a rugged, inexpensive, emcient vent grating which may be readily placed upon the back-v splasher of a range.

Other objects of my invention will either be pointed out specifically in the course of the following description of a device embodying my invention, or will be apparent from such description.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is an elevational view of a range embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged elevational view corresponding to Flg. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are plan and side elevational views, respectively, of a vent bar;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI on Fig. 5;

Figs. '7 and 8 show plan and elevational views of one of the vent tubes shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 9 and 10 show plan and elevational views of the other vent tube shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a partial sectional view taken along the line Ifl-XI of Fig. 1; and

' Fi 12 is a partial sectional view taken along the line XLI-X[I of Fig. 11.

Like reference characters indicate in the several figures.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I show a range 10 having a back-splasher l2 and in this instance a plurality of ovens ll with vent tubes l6 operatively associated with the ovens II and a plurality -of oven vents ll operatively An eslike parts cutcheon plate 20 is mounted on the back-splash- .er in any suitable manner, as hereinafter de scribed, and a vent bar or grating 22 is operatively associated with the escutcheon plate 20 and oven vent 18.

The range 10, in this instance, has a plurality of ovens i4 and a back-splasher I2 which may be rigidly attached to the main .body portion of the range 10 in any desired manner. -It will be understood that my invention may be used with a range having one or. more ovens or with any heating appliance which ,may or may not use vent tubes as shown in Figs. 1, 7, 8, 9 and 10. It is also to be understood that the exact position and shape of the oven vents 18 as shown in Fig 1 maybe varied from those shown, it being understood that themain .object of my invention which will not condense the air and vapors being expelled therethrough.

The back-splasher- 12 has located thereon an escutcheon or decorative plate 20, substantially as shown in Fig. 1. This plate 20 has a plurality of apertures 18a located therein which, when plate 20 is positioned upon the back splasher [2 in cooperation with the vent tube 16, form the oven vents 18 as hereinafter described. The plate 20, as shown in Fig. 3, has substantially a U- shaped' cross-section with a plurality 'of ribs 24 located therein. The ribs located within the plate 20 leave a small hollow space between the plate 20- and the back-splasher i 2 when such plate is rigidly attached thereto. This hollow space located within the ribs 24 enables the vent bars 22 to be removably positioned therein, as hereinafter described. The plates20 may be rigidly attached to the back-splasher l2 by means of screws 26. The screws 26 are preferably spot welded to the rear of the plates 20 so that they will be rigidly attached thereto, without necessitating their extending through such plates.

The vent bar or grating 22 may be formed from a number of light-weight sheet materials, such as chromium plated sheet brass or stainless steel, or the like, into substantially a U- shaped member having arms 28 extending diagonally outwardly from the front to the erar of such bar substantially as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 12. The vent bar or grating 22 is attached to the back-splasher 12 by the cooperation of the plate 20 and the arms 28, as hereinafter described.

It is preferred that the material from which the vent bar 22 is formed have a low thermal capacity and a high heat conductivity, such as the "preferred chromium plated sheet brass. With the vent bar having such characteristics, it is obvious that it will quickly respond to the changes in temperature of the atmosphere being expelled from the oven and past the vent bar.

is to provide a grating-work for an oven, vent The vent bar 22 has side portions or flanges 23 which are formed by bending the sheet so that they will be substantially at right angles to the main portion of the bar 22. The legs 28 may likewise be formed by crimping the ends of the main body portion first downwardly and then upwardly and outwardly. It is to be understood that the vent bar 22 may be formed in any other desired manner, and that either one or more may be employed. However, it is preferred that such member be formed of as light or as relatively thin a material as possible and that it shall primarily obtain its strength, as a member, from the reenforcing formation thereof. The vent bar will then be substantially thinher and lighter than the supporting structure whereby the vent or grating will quickly increase in temperature and prevent condensation thereon, as hereinafter described.

The vent tubes I6 are preferably formed with a circular cross-section and have arcuate bends 3|]. The circular cross-section of the vent tubes I6 in conjunction with the arcuate bends 30 readily permit the flow of air and vapors from the ovens through the vents I8 with a minimum. restriction thereof. The sharp angular bends hitherto used provide an unsatisfactory vent tube, inasmuch as they materially restrict the flow of vapors from the oven.

The vent tubes I G are rigidly attached to the back-splasher l2 by means of the screws 26, rigidly attached to the escutcheon plate 20, as hereinafter described, and by means of a nut 32 (see Fig. 11). The vent tubes I 6 have a plurality of angle brackets 34 (Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive) extending from the vent ends thereof which cooperate with the screws 26 and nuts 32 enabling the vent tubes I6 to be drawn within the aperture I8b located within the back-splasher I2 substantially as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The vent tubes I6 will, therefore, extend through the back-splasher I2 and contact the rear face of plate 20, directing the flow of vapors through the vent I8 without permitting such vapors to contact the back-splasher I2. As the nut 32 is operatively associated with the bolt 26, the plate 20 and the end of the vent tubes IE will be drawn tightly together forming a continuous path for the vapors substantially as shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

The only obstruction for the flow of vapors being expelled from the oven will, therefore, be the vent bar or grating 22 operatively associated with the plate 20 and the back-splasher I2. The vent bar 22 is mounted in position by having its arms 28 extending within the hollow space produced by the central rib 24 and the back-splasher I2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 12. Then as the plate 20 is tightened directly against the backsplasher I2 and vent tube IS, the legs 28 of vent bar or grating 22 will be tightened against the vent tube I6 and the plate 20 by contacting the vent tube I E at 36 and plate 20 at 38, substantially as shown in Fig. 12. It will be understood that more than one vent bar may be employed if desired, being secured in place in a manner .similar to that illustrated or in any other suitable manner.

It is, therefore, obvious that with the vent bar 22 located within the vent I8 in such a manner, such vent bar will partially obstruct the passage of the vapors being expelled from the oven and will be subjected to the temperature thereof. However, inasmuch as the vent bar 22 is formed of a light-weight material, as hereinabove described, such bar will quickly and readily increase in temperature with the increased temperature of the vapors being expelled by the oven.

It is, therefore, obvious that when a material to be cooked has been placed within the oven, the heated air of the oven will first heat the vent bar 22 above the condensation temperature before the steam and vapors generated by the Cooking material are expelled through the vent I 8. It is, therefore, evident that the vent bar 22 cannot and will not condense the steam or vapor developed by the cooking material placed within the oven, thereby preventing any unsightliness due to dripping of grease, etc.

Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A range comprising, in combination, an oven, a back-splasher having an aperture therein, an oven vent tube joining said oven and said aperture for the escape of vapors from the oven, an escutcheon plate attached to the back-splasher, said plate having an aperture therein in line with the back-splasher aperture, a vent bar positioned in line with the apertures, said vent bar being attached to the back-splasher by means of the escutcheon plate and being thinner and lighter than the back-splasher and escutcheon plate whereby the grating will quickly increase in temperature to that-of the vapors escaping from the oven so as to prevent condensation thereof.

2. A range comprising, in combination, an oven, a back-splasher having an aperture therein, an oven vent tube joining said oven and said aperture for the escape of vapors from the oven, an escutcheon plate attached to the backsplasher, said plate having an aperture therein in line with the back-smasher aperture, a vent bar positioned in line with the apertures, said vent bar being attached to the back-splasher by means of the escutcheon plate and having a lower thermal capacity and higher heat conductivity than the back-splasher and escutcheon plate whereby the grating will quickly increase in temperature to that of the vapors escaping from the oven so as to prevent condensation thereof.

3. A range back-splasher having an opening therein, a vent bar positioned within the aperture, and an escutcheon plate having an aperture in line with the back-splasher aperture and secured to the back-splasher to position said vent bar thereagainst.

4. A range back-splasher having an opening therein, a vent bar positioned within the aperture, and an escutcheon plate having an aperture in line with the back-splasher aperture and having grooves therein on opposite sides o'f said aperture, said plate secured to the back-splasher to position the ends of said vent bar in the respective groovesof said plate against said backsplasher.

ALFONS BARNSTEINER. 

